The new study will assess what precise elements are needed, and how many can be adapted from the spacecraft systems already in existence.
It could mean they gain control of the spacecraft systems and can fire the engines, but after the orbit around Earth has dropped so low that there is not enough fuel to go to Phobos.
The Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Project (LCRD) will follow with launch in late 2017 on a commercial Space Systems Loral spacecraft.
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What are the main propulsion systems for spacecraft in space?
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Today, this quiet corner of England is developing propulsion systems for important spacecraft like Juno.
To do this the spacecraft will need fantastically accurate control systems: they will have to measure changes in the positions of the satellites with a precision of 20 picometres (a picometre is a millionth of a micron).
That signal means a giant antenna in California heard Messenger's dial tone, systems engineer Michael Paul said, and the spacecraft was amazingly on target.
Among those items reportedly slated for decontrol are sensors capable of testing missile silos, high-speed microprocessors with a wide variety of applications for military systems, solid and liquid rocket motors and spacecraft, advanced lasers, electronic navigation equipment, and sophisticated machine tools.
All systems appeared to function normally and eight minutes later, the spacecraft had entered orbit.
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It will develop orbiting fuel depots, rendezvous-and-docking technologies, advanced life-support systems that recycle all of their materials, and better motors for spacecraft.
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In addition, the spacecraft in question are all travelling in types of orbit not usually seen in natural systems.
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